Stuffing box



J. J. BETZOLD STUFFING BOX Oct. 1, 1940.

Filed March 4, 1938 Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNITEDI- STA-res oFFlc-E John Joseph Betzold, Winnipeg, .Manitoba,

Canada f AppxicationMarch 4, 193s, serial No. 193,903 v In Canada March 8, 1937 iclaim. (erase-2s) I l low. shaft in the box but not entirely through This invention relates to improvements in stuing boxes, stuffing boxes ,being devicesused as supports and housings for rotating' or reciprocating shafts. In this capacitystuffing boxes are called upon to supply the necessary lubricating medium to the shafts they support, and occasionally, as in the caseof marine equipment, a stuing box would also have to-prevent the entry of water and water vapor.`

Existing stuiing boxes, due to their present day construction, permit the leakage of oil, 'and as they become worn from use, this condition becomes worse requiring frequent relling with oil, and constant attention. Furthermore, the packing in these boxes is'heldin such a manner `that the rotation of the'shaft Vcauses the said packing to work away from the shaft and produce an ineicient lubricating condition. The

existing stuffing boxes alsolack means for autof posed.of. ahollow. cylindery I I having an encir-f clingflange i2 in the form of a hexagonal nut I similarto the ange I to receive a wrench. From matic maintenance of pressure ofl the packing against the shaft. Theyjlack means for applying such pressure constantly, and ymeans for adjusting this pressure in the event of wear of the various parts. 1

This invention embodies principles whereby the above mentioned dificulties may be overcome, and consists chiefly of the introduction of a movable piston in the stuiiingbox. This piston Y is held tightly at all times against the packing by means of springs, and presses on the packing at an angle to the shaft. Provision is also made for an ample oil supply, proper gasket varrangement, and means for rapid adjustment of pressure against the shaft. The proper gasket arrangement as provided-in this invention will prevent considerable leakage of oil, and no reoiling will be required for great lengths of time, particularly so, considering the ample oil supply as provided by the oil chambers. The pressure on I the piston by the springs causing the piston to press on the packing, will be transmitted in'such manner as to cause resultant pressure of the packing against the rotating o-r reciprocating shaft.` The spring action willr keep this pressure constant and willl automatically take up any slack between the packing and the shaft.v After considerable wear additional pressure can be applied by tightening up of the various members of the casing which are held together by 'screw threads.

In the description of the invention reference lwill be mlade to the accompanying drawing in which: The single figure shows a longitudinal section '55 Ythrough thestufting box witha section ,of a hol- -posed Vconduit 3 protruding therein.

- upon the cylinder 5. A further ring I9 with a central orifice 2li is attached tothe rear end of Athe cylinder I'I and is provided adjacent this the box. This drawing' can 'also apply to solid r shafts, and to shafts going right through the boX.

This embodiment consists of a 'casing I comfrom a central orice 4 This conduit may, if desired, be threaded at Yits outer end for attachment toa kfurther stationary conduit. Extending forwardly from 4the plate 2 is a sho-rt cylinder 5 which is internally. threaded as at 6. An outstanding viian'ge 'I encircles the plate 2 and is of hexagonal configuration, being'designed to receive the jaws Adjacent .the orice 4 within the ,plate 2 is a y short forwardly extending lange with a number of passageways 9 extendingradially vthere-- through for a purpose presently tol be explained.

Thesecond portion II] of'my casing I is cornthe rear 4side of the flange I2 extends a further ,flange I3v having-"a bevelled configuration and being provided with an undercut recess I4 there-` beneath. f Within the recess I4, I place a leather liquid at this junction point.

Immediately beneath the flange I2 is an inner annular ring I6 towhich is attached a rearwardly extending cylinder I'I which is externally threaded as at I8 to engage with the threads 6 orifice with a forwardly extending annulus 2| of the configuration illustrated. A small encircling ange 22 also protrudes from the ring I9 and'r provides an annular slot' 23 between the rings ZI and 22.

Integrally attached to the forward end of the cylinder II is a circular portion 24 of greater diameter than the cylinder II, which is under-` cut to provide a circular recess 25.

The forward portion of the cylinder II is internally threaded as at 26 to receive a sleeve 21. This sleeve is externally threaded for the greater portion of. its length but has an encircling flat ring 28, whose outer diameter is greater than'tlie diameter of the crowns of thev threads upon the sleeve.

y, The outer periphery of this ringy is designed to .form the inner wall of the recess 25 and into this?? of a rear end plate 2 having a stationary" iring 43 and the cylinder .44.

recess are placed packing rings, the rear ring 29 being of leather, the adjacent ring 30 of iron, the ring 3l of soft lead and a further ring 32 of iron similar to the ring 30'. These packing rings are all firmly compressed Within the recess 25 by means of a nut 33 threadably received upon the sleeve 21 and having an annular ange 34 which is designed to pass within the end of the recess 25 and engage with the outermost ring 32.

Closing the forward end of the stuffing box is a front end plate 35 provided with an internally threaded cylindrical portion 36, the threads of which are received upon the sleeve 21, and ;als0 a concentric inner flange 31, the outer periphery of which engages with the inner surface of the sleeve 21. The center of the front end plate is drilled to provide a bearing 38 .therein to receive a hollow or solid rotating or reciprocating shaft 39. In the case of a hollow shaft, as illustrated it would -extend through the stuing box and the .diameter thereof would reduce as at 40 in order .that it may t within the internal walls of the conduit .3. A solid shaft would of course extend completely through the device.

Encompassing the shaft 39 is a slidable compression member 4I. This ,member engages with .1theshafta1ong the inner surface of a short .sleeve .portion .4.2 to which is attached by -means of .an ,annular portion .43, a further cylinder .4.4 of

`largerdiameter .than the cylinder 42. A further cylinder .45 of still greater diameter than .the

cylinder 44 extends forwardly from the cylinder 44. The forward outer surface of this cylinder engages with the inner periphery of the .flange 31 and is provided .at its root with an integral collar 46 .which engages with the inner surface of the sleeve .21.

The cylinder together with the sleeve 21 and -flange44 bound a recess 41 into which is inserted -a .series of packing rings, .the rear ring 48 being composed of leather, the adjacent ring 49 .of iron and the succeeding rings 5D, 5I, 52, 53, 54 and -55 .of lead, iron, leather, iron, lead and iron respectively. These packing rings are maintained in-a tightly compressed condition within the recess 41 by means of the ange 31 which fits .into the end ,of the recess and .bears against the packing ring55.

Encircling ltheshaft 39 ,and extending between the front end plate 35 and the member 42 is .a stiff helical spring 56. This spring it will be noted, extends into the recess 51 formed by the Further spring `56 is also provided .extending between the plate 35 ,and ythe member v42, .this spring being of greater diameter than the spring 56.and is received Within a lfurther annular recess 58 Within the mem- .ber 4,2.

Extending rearwardly from the shaft contacting portion of the `member 42, is an integral portion 59 having a ,cylindrical outer configuration but being bevelled within and provided with a plurality of orifices 60 passing therethrough for a purpose to be explained.

A cage 5| is provided within the casing 4and encircles the shaft 39 adjacent the pointat which it meets the stationary conduit 3. This member has ,a ring 62 around which is .passed a lead gasketg63 held in compression by the flange .8. A further leather washer 64 of the configuration illustrated is placed within the recess 6,5 and is compressed by the ring 2|.

Adjacent this washer is a deep encircling slot l66 opposing the slot 23 and a soft lead gasket is .placed within this slot and is .compressed therein to effectively seal the joint and prevent seepage of any liquid or iiuid therethrough. The cage 6l extends forwardly and upwardly and has an internally bevelled portion oppositely formed to the bevelled portion within the member 42.

Aicylindrical portion 61 extends forwardly and overlaps the periphery of the concentric cylindrical portion 59. The portion ,61 is also provided .with anumber of orifices fpassing therethrough and Within the chamber formed by the sleeve and the member 42 and cage 6| are placed a number of packing rings 69 of leather, compressed cotton or other suitable material. Due to the pressure .of the. s prin'gsand the bevelled conguration of .the members 42 and 6|, these packing rings are pressed firmly against the shaft 3S and prevent rany liquid vseeping `.therealong Anencircling flange 1D having orices 1I therein, is made integral with the end of the cylinder portion 61 and is received within an annular recess .11 .Withinthe sleeve 21.

In orderto .successfully lubricate the shaft 39, I .fill the Achamber .12..around the members .42 and .GAL-.with oil .which flows through 4the passageways .50 and :68 and seeps througl'i the leather packingBS until it reaches vthe shaft.

It `will .be Anoted that I have not provided any A.oil passageways .near the outerends of the .packing in order to preserve the oil and prevent a surplus .thereoflfrom being admitted to the shaft. The .oil lintroduce into the chamber through -a vthreadedoriflce 13 which is normally kept closed .by .means of ascrew .plug `14 which .has a Igasket 15 interposed ibetween the head and the casing .ofthestufng box.

vIf .it be desired .to increase the volume of the oiland .to .apply pressure ,to said oil, this can be Vdone by substitutingthe parts shown in dotted outline, for the screwplug and gasket, such parts .embodying a vfeed pipe 1.6 leading from a pressure tank, 11,1anda suitable .removable valve 18. This any .desired pressure in the tank and this Will serve -to forcibly -feed the oil to of .the stuffing boX.

It will also lbe .noted that the passageways 40 .adjacent the junction points of the rotating and stationary shaftsare .for the purpose of allowing a portion .of the'luid which is passing through theshafts to seep into the chamber 19 and thereby vhelp to ycool the stuinng `box in warm weather and warm it `in -cool weather.

yUnder conditionswhere there maybe high tem- .perature steam, under pressure, such as in locomotiveuse, it would be desirable to have the last .packing ring 69, at the right hand of the box, .made `from Babbitt-metal or any other suitable --metallic compound-whichwill withstand wearand tear.

Inbrderto automatically and -positively take up lanyslackin the series of packings 48, 49, 50, 5I, 5.2, `5354 and, 55 lwhich might occur through wear, AI have made an .annular recess 80 in the flange 31 ,and have placed a .coiled spring 8l in the recess which bears against .the packing .55 and continuously-maintains the said rings in compression las yWill be readily understood.

I might also mention that where the plug .14 fis used, onecanbring the oil in the chamber 12 -under pressure 'by introducing compressed air into the chamber in any well known manner.

When .oil fis `used under pressure, it is forced )through .the .packing ,-69 to the shaft to be lubrithe various parts compression member mounted on the shaft and telescoped Within the cylindrical portion aforesaid and presenting a frusto-conical interior face engaging With the packing material, said compression member making an oil tight joint with the casing and enclosing an oil chamber surrounding the cylindrical portion aforesaid, resilient means for maintaining said compression member in engagement With said packing material and means for admitting a fluid under pres- 10 sure to said oil receiving chamber.

JOHN JOSEPH BETZOLD. 

